


Old And Wise

by Lothiriel84



Series: I Ain't Got A Heart Of Stone [3]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Gen, MJN Air Is A Family, Post Episode: Zurich, Romance, Spoilers for Episode: Zurich
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2015-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-08 19:11:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3220205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lothiriel84/pseuds/Lothiriel84
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>And the sadness would be lifted from my eyes / Oh when I'm old and wise</i> (The Alan Parsons Project)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old And Wise

**Author's Note:**

> A sequel to _Prime Time_.

He bumps into Helena one day as he’s off to the grocer’s – Martin and his wife are visiting, and he has suddenly remembered that Theresa might want decaf rather than regular coffee. The former Mrs Richardson makes sure to leave a couple of well-placed remarks in her wake, and he’s painfully aware that his face must be like thunder when he storms back into the house and takes the worst of his fury out on the coffee machine. Sarah quietly offers to make the hot drinks herself, only to get asked to go away rather brusquely; he half expects her to confront him with his unwarranted behaviour, but she merely squeezes his arm and leaves him to it – shame settling like a sizzling ember in the pit of his stomach.

His brain automatically makes an unhelpful detour towards dangerous ground, and he immediately chastises himself for it; he’s been down that particular road too many times, and old fool though he may be he’s not falling back into old habits all over again.

He makes it back to the living room just as Martin is concluding the story of that time the ground crew of a tiny airport in the middle of nowhere actually mistook him for the captain.

“Curious feeling, isn’t it?” he comments lightly as he places the tray on the coffee table. “I’ve always thought it rather cuts both ways.”

All eyes turn to him, and his friend looks momentarily dumbfounded by such a casual statement. “Douglas, I had no idea –”

“Here you are,” he cuts in, his tone carefully even. “Black no sugar for you, Martin; and decaf for you, Theresa.”

Then he makes sure to brush his fingers against his wife’s as he places a cup in her hands, the burden in his chest melting a little as she leans into the touch. Sarah is nothing like Helena, or any of his other ex-wives – she doesn’t think he’s terrific, she knows each and every one of his flaws and still loves him; he hopes and prays he’ll be able to tell her how much that means to him someday.

In the meantime, he settles for wrapping his arm around her shoulders, his thumb tracing the golden band he’s wearing on his ring finger. Then he catches sight of the protective glances Martin is sneaking at his princess, and his face breaks into an affectionate smile.


End file.
